The National Taxpayers Association (NTA) has called on Kenya’s 47 county governments to exercise restraint as they finalise their Finance Bills, urging them not to introduce new fees and levies that would cancel out the fiscal relief delivered through the Finance Act 2026.
NTA chief executive Patrick Nyangweso raised the alarm as counties moved closer to tabling their annual Finance Bills — legislation that is expected to be aligned with the national document. He warned that loading fresh charges on top of national-level tax relief only worsens the situation for ordinary Kenyans who are already under severe financial strain, effectively undoing the gains made by the national government to ease the overall tax burden.
Rather than digging deeper into citizens’ pockets, Nyangweso urged counties to look at more sustainable ways of growing their revenue. “Own source revenue can be enhanced if counties invest in production,” he said, highlighting opportunities tied to national government programmes, including the affordable housing initiative and county aggregation parks. He argued that by nurturing a friendlier environment for business and investment, counties can expand their income without piling new charges onto residents.
The concern is not without basis. County governments in Kenya have long supplemented funds received from the national exchequer by introducing or hiking service fees — from parking charges to market fees and business permits. Stephen Osedo of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry pointed out that new levies routinely slip in through tax amendment bills, often catching small businesses off guard and squeezing margins that are already wafer-thin.
Nyangweso was equally firm on the question of accountability. Kenyans across the 47 counties are increasingly vocal about wanting tangible returns on every shilling they contribute in taxes. “Citizens want to see value for money,” he said, challenging county governments to make livelihood improvements and enterprise growth the driving force behind their Finance Acts, rather than a relentless push for more revenue.
With county Finance Bills expected to land before county assemblies in the weeks ahead, the pressure on local governments is mounting. Civil society organisations and business lobbies appear determined to ensure that whatever relief was achieved through the Finance Act 2026 at the national level is not quietly eroded by a fresh round of county-driven charges — leaving Kenyan taxpayers no better off than before.
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